Natural Minor Scale Positions

This lesson will help you unbox the natural
minor scale across the
entire fretboard. We'll do this in exactly the same way we do in the
other scale lessons - by using natural minor scale positions
built around its 7 scale degrees.

So, to start with, we need to lay out the intervals of natural minor
across the low E string to give us our "position points".

In the below
example, I'm using the F#
minor scale, as the root note lies on F#.
However, the large pattern we're building here is movable. In other
words, you simply shift it up or down to a new root note depending on
the key you're playing in.

We're now going to build patterns on each of these natural minor scale
positions. Starting with the boxed pattern we already know...

Moving up to the 2nd position...

3rd position. Notice how this is exactly the same as the boxed major
scale pattern! That's because natural minor is also a mode of the
major
scale (Aeolian), so somewhere amidst the minor scale pattern
you'll see the other
modes of the major scale immerge. More on modal context another time...

Position 4. Exactly the same as the Dorian boxed pattern...

5th position. Same as the minor Phrygian boxed pattern. Notice how the
root note in this position is situated on the A string, meaning this is
the position of the A string boxed pattern we learned in the main
lesson...

6th position. Same as the Lydian boxed pattern...

And finally, natural minor's 7th position, exactly the same as the
Mixolydian boxed pattern...

Using natural minor scale positions more effectively

Once you learn a scale's positions, connect them together and can play
across the entire fretboard, you should experiment with breaking this
larger pattern down in different ways.

For example, you could combine the patterns around the 3rd and 4th
minor scale positions to
form a wider, 3-notes-per-string pattern, allowing you to
practice wider finger
movements on each string...

This is the beauty of knowing these positions - you now have the
ability to create your own patterns for your own soloing needs.

However, learning scale patterns is only part of the picture. For a
comprehensive process towards mastering scales I highly recommend the Guitar Scale Mastery Course.
It shows you how to solo fluidly and effortlessly with any scale you
learn.